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Leucistic southern elephant seal at Marion Island?

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Abstract

An extraordinary light coloured, young southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina was seen at Marion Island during the 2004 austral spring. This is the second record of an extraordinary white colour morph for the species here. It was not unequivocally established that the animal was leucistic.

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Acknowledgments

The observation was recorded during the Construction Voyage 118 of the MV SA Agulhas to Marion Island. We thank the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism for logistic support on advice from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research and the Prince Edward Islands Management Committee. We are also grateful to Adriaan Dreyer for his support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Marthán N. Bester, G. J. Greg Hofmeyr & P. J. Nico de Bruyn

  2. SA Institute of Steel Construction, P.O. Box 291724, Melville, 2109, South Africa

    Hendrik de Clercq

Authors
  1. Marthán N. Bester
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  2. Hendrik de Clercq
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  3. G. J. Greg Hofmeyr
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  4. P. J. Nico de Bruyn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marthán N. Bester.

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Bester, M.N., de Clercq, H., Hofmeyr, G.J.G. et al. Leucistic southern elephant seal at Marion Island?. Polar Biol 31, 255–257 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0380-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0380-1

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